Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Saxo vs tastytrade
Where Saxo and tastytrade differ
| Compare |  Saxo |  tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | CHF 0 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | $1 | $0Lower |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Options, Futures, Crypto |
| Regulators | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | SIPC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Options contract fee | $2 | $1Lower |
| Platforms | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader | Mobile, Desktop, Web |
| Account types | Joint, Corporate | IRA, Joint |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 64% | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.25% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free deposits and withdrawals | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Saxo scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only tastytrade offers SIPC.
- Saxo is licensed in 1 more country.
- Stock trade fee is lower at tastytrade: $0 vs $1.
- Options contract fee is lower at tastytrade: $1 vs $2.
- Markets: only Saxo offers CFDs, Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only tastytrade offers Crypto.
- Platforms: only Saxo offers SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader.
- Platforms: only tastytrade offers Mobile, Desktop, Web.
Our verdict on each
Saxo
Saxo suits investors who want a Danish bank with no account or inactivity charge and a wide market list, but the stock trade fee is $1 and the FX fee is 0.25%. Costs stay predictable for long holders, less so for frequent traders.
tastytrade
tastytrade suits traders who want options, futures and crypto in the same account as shares and ETFs, and it suits anyone starting small. The minimum deposit is $0, share dealing costs $0 a trade, and options cost $1 a contract, so the bill grows only if you trade derivatives.
Score breakdown
| Area | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. | 9.1The commission free model keeps equity dealing cheap, but the options contract fee of $1 is the line heavy option traders watch. |
| Offer | 9.3 | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.6 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| IRA | No | Yes |
| Joint | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate | Yes | No |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 78 of 471 | 150 of 471 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 17 of 86 | 32 of 86 |
| Forex brokers | 33 of 147 | 65 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 31 of 145 | 63 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 23 of 103 | 53 of 103 |
| Futures trading platforms | 21 of 82 | 38 of 82 |
What we checked
Saxo
- home.saxo: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- bestbrokers.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- landofforex.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- moneyland.ch: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
tastytrade
- tastytrade.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile app | Crypto, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Legal entity | Saxo Bank A/S | TASTYTRADE INC |
| Headquarters | Denmark | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1992 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Saxo | tastytrade | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $1highest quarter | $0at the median | $0 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | €0below the median | Not confirmed | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 64%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.25%below the median | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | $2highest quarter | $1highest quarter | $0.625 |
Median across 91 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Saxo
Pros
- Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0
- Minimum deposit is CHF 0 and deposits and withdrawals carry no charge
- Regulated in Denmark by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority and in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority
Cons
- Stock trade fee of $1 sits well above the site median of €0
- FX fee of 0.25% applies on top of trading costs
- Investor protection is limited to the EU scheme at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000
tastytrade
Pros
- Share dealing costs $0 a trade, and the account opens from $0.
- All of stocks, etfs and forex sit under the same account.
- Protection is recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000, with membership logged as SIPC member 69649.
Cons
- Options cost $1 a contract, so regular contract buyers pay more than occasional ones.
- The recorded account types under ira and joint are an IRA and a joint account.
- In the stock comparison, 72.03% of retail accounts lose money.
Who each suits
Saxo
Who it suits
- Investors holding stocks and ETFs long term who want no account or inactivity charge
- Traders who need forex, options, futures and CFDs on one account
- Joint and corporate account holders
Who should look elsewhere
- Beginners wanting commission-free share dealing, where eToro charges $0 per trade
- Small-balance traders unwilling to meet the Vantage minimum deposit of $5
- Frequent currency converters put off by the 0.25% FX fee
tastytrade
Who it suits
- Traders who want options and futures in the same account as shares and ETFs.
- Anyone starting small, since the minimum deposit is $0.
- People saving into an IRA who also want crypto and forex nearby.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro if you want CFDs listed alongside the core markets: stocks, etfs and forex.
- CFI if you want the shorter list in stocks, etfs and forex, which ends at crypto.
- Vantage if you would rather start above the floor, since its minimum deposit is $5.
Country by country
| Country | Saxo | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Saxo
What does Saxo charge to hold an account?+
The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0, so there is no annual or dormancy charge. Saxo ranks 1 of 138 on account fee and 1 of 56 on inactivity fee. That makes it a straightforward choice for long-term holdings.
How much does it cost to buy a stock?+
Stock trades cost $1 through Saxo. That places it at 107 of 161 on this measure, and above the site median of €0. Active share traders should weigh that before opening.
tastytrade
Is there a minimum deposit to open a tastytrade account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened and funded with whatever you want to start on. Share dealing then costs $0 a trade, which keeps the running cost close to the opening balance.
What does an options contract cost?+
Options are charged per contract at $1. If you buy options often, that fee becomes the main line you track, while share dealing stays at $0. Traders who touch options now and then will feel it far less than regular contract buyers.
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